New Beginnings
by meercatangel
Summary: Rated M mostly for sexual content. Rachel awakes from a twoyear coma, only to find everything that had happened a dream. However, her friends exist, and she goes to New York to track them down.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN FRIENDS THIS IS JUST A STORY!!! **

Sunlight streamed in through the window, birds singing outside.

Rachel could hear beeping. An annoying beeping, and footsteps. She could hear breathing ion the same room as her. She could smell a strong odour of lilies. White lilies. Her eyes fluttered open. She was lying in bed. A hosptial bed. Nurses with clipboards and strange machines were all around her, outside in the corridor. she was afraid. she turned to where she could hear the breathing, it sounded strangely familiar. Her mother was sitting next to her, gazing out of the window. She reached out to touch her mother's arm and promptly fell out of the bed, landing heavily on the floor tangled in blankets. Her mother screamed loudly, causing Rachel to scream, until they both saw each other's faces and stopped. Upon seeing her, Rachel's mother's jaw dropped.

"Mom?" Rachel asked, "Mom, where am I?"

Her mother's eyes grew wide and filled with tears. Her hand flew to her mouth.

"Oh my God." she whispered.

Rachel was scared. "Mom, where _am_ I? What's going on?"

Molly Green took a deep breath, and spoke the words that changed Rachel's life forever.

"Rachel, honey, you've been in a coma."

** Dun dun dun!!! What happens next? R&R! **


	2. Chapter 2

Rachel gasped. "A coma? Are you kidding me? For how long?"

Molly smiled. "Two years."

Rachel screamed. "TWO YEARS! This isn't possible!"

Molly have her a watery smile, indicating how sorry she was.

Rachel took a deep breath to clam down, and wriggled upwards so her head was resting on the pillows. "How did it happen?" she whispered.

Molly sniffed and smiled. "You were cheerleading at the college game, and you were on the top of the pyramid, as always, my little girl."

Rachel smiled.

"But, something went wrong. That Becky Travis girl, she slipped, the pyramid wobbled, and you fell."

Rachel vaguely remembered a scream and a thud, before everything had gone dark.

"W-what happened next?" Rachel asked.

"Well, you hit your head quite hard, and the school called me. I rushed to the hospital, and the doctors said that your brain was, well, a vegetable. But I refused to acknowledge that, I can tell you. I stayed by your bedside until, well, today, waiting for my little girl to wake up."

Rachel was shocked. "So, how old was I?"

Molly smiled. "Only eighteen."

Rachel began to slowly understand. "So, I'm twenty-one?"

Molly shook her head. "No dear, only twenty….you haven't missed the milestone! We should get to planning your birthday, it's only seven months away!"

"I suppose….do you think Daddy'll let me borrow his limousine like for my sixteenth?"

Molly's face hardened, her eyes filling with tears again.

Rachel touched her mother's hand. "Mom, what's wrong? Where's Daddy?"

"He's dead sweetheart. He was so busy yelling at a homeless person to get a job, he didn't see the taxi coming, and stepped out straight on front of it."

Rachel started to cry. "That's just like Daddy."

Molly hugged her. "I know, darling, I know."

Rachel wiped her eyes. "Mommy, what am I going to _do_? I haven't got a job, or a house, or friends-"

Suddenly, Rachel remembered something, flashes of faces, apartments, and a very warm cafe...

"Central Perk."

Molly was confused. "Central what dear?"

"Central Perk!" Rachel was getting worked up. "Gunther! Bloomingdales!"

"Darling, have you had one of those long dreams? Like Marcy in Days of our lives?"

"Days of our lives? Joey! Joey, Mommy, Joey! Joey Tribbiani!"

Had everything really been a dream? Her pregnancy, her romances, Barbados, the weddings?

Molly was worried. "Honey, are you OK?"

Rachel was stricken. "No, maybe, I don't know…..Mom, I think I'm going crazy. Wait, do you remember Monica and Ross Gellar?"

Molly's face clouded for a moment, causing Rachel's heart to sink, but then cleared. "Oh, Beatrice's kids! Of course dear, but you haven't seen them since the accident, they moved to apartments in New York with a friend of Ross's, Chandler Bing? I- honey, what are you doing?"

Rachel was getting out of bed. "Mommy, do you still have my Gucci suitcases from that charity auction?"

Molly was flustered. "Yes, of course honey, but _why_?"

"Mommy, I'm going to New York."

** Molly's little girl is going to track down her friends, but how, and why? R&R! **


	3. Chapter 3

Days had passed, and now Rachel Green was out of the hospital, much to the doctor's protests to examine her 'like a common lab rat' as her mother had put it, to monitor her flashbacks, and how she had woken from her two year rest.

Her mother had put up a fight, and the doctors eventually gave up, thanks to her donation to the intensive care ward where Rachel had stayed, and her threatening of having them closed down for 'false imprisonment'. If it wasn't for Molly's millionaire status, Rachel might not have been walking down the runway with he rmother to catch a two-seater plane of Molly's close friend Pablo, a spanish waiter and Pilates instructer. First class plane, of course.

"I still don't see why you feel you must do this, Rachel." Molly complained as she clacked down the runway in her Prada heels. Rachel was close behind her, examining her newly manicured nails.

"Because, Mommy, I need to find my friends, like in the dream. I need to find Ross, I need to find Monica, I need to find everybody."

"Well, I suppose if you truly get stuck with finances you could write a book about your 'traumatic coma experience.'" Molly suggested, ignoring Rachel's answer. "Well, this is your plane!" Molly stopped and looked at her daughter. She realised just how grown up she had become. A sudden rush of emotion overwhelmed her and she hugged Rachel tightly.

"Make sure you be careful sweetie." Molly warned her daughter.

"I will!" Rachel called as she stepped into the first class plane her mother had especially arranged for her. "Bye!"

"Goodbye darling!" Molly called as the plane swept into the air. "Good luck!"

** So, Rachel's on her way to New York...R&R!**


	4. Chapter 4

Rachel awoke the next morning to find that the plane had landed and she was alone. Birds chirped and the sun was just peering through the clouds. She crawled out of her seat and peered out of the window. The plane was on top of a huge skyscraper. She opened the window and stuck out her head. "Pablo?" she called.

"About time you woke up, Miss Green." Pablo's voice sounded, so sudden it caused Rachel to jump and bump her head on the top of the window.

"Ouch!"

Rubbing her head, Rachel stepped out of the plane. "How long have we been here?"

"Oh, only for two hours." Pablo replied, stirring a paper cup of coffee. Coffee…..

"Hey, Pablo, where did you get that coffee?" she asked.

Pablo looked up, "Oh, a little café called Central Perk."

Rachel's heart leapt. "C-central Perk?" she breathed excitedly. "Really?"

Pablo raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, it's about a block away. I take it you want to go there?"

Rachel's eyes lit up and she smiled. "Yes please."

Pablo grinned. "Well, we gotta get these bags to your room first." he said, motioning with his hand to Rachel's five huge Gucci suitcases.

Rachel blushed, then looked confused. "My room?"

"Yeah. Your mom paid for two weeks, but you can leave early can cancel the cheque if you find somewhere else to stay. At least, that's what she told the manager."

Rachel nodded slowly. It dawned on her she didn't actually _have _somewhere else to stay. She needed to find her friends, and fast.

Pablo saw the troubled look on her face. "Well, it looks like you've got somewhere to be, Miss Green. You go ahead, go to your room, take a shower and get dressed. I'll handle the bags."

Rachel smiled. "Thanks."

Pablo grinned. "No problem."

Rachel finished gliding the eyeliner pencil across her lower eyelid and smiled at her reflection in the mirror. "How do I look?" she asked Pablo.

"Lovely, but Miss Green, aren't you forgetting something?" Pablo replied.

Rachel thought for a moment. Then it clicked. "Money!" she cried. "I don't have any!"

She started to worry, then caught sight of Pablo's grin. "What?" she demanded, hands on her hips.

Pablo handed her a Prada handbag that matched her outfit- black short-sleeved shirt, gold belt and shoes, and tight light blue jeans. "What's this?" Rachel asked.

"Your mother entrusted me with a bank card to give to you, holding five hundred thousand dollars."

"For me?" Rachel squeaked. "Five hundred thousand?"

"She said half of it was for emergencies, and the rest for essentials, like rent, food, clothes, you get it."

Rachel nodded.

"So, Miss Green, you ready?"

Rachel clapped her hands. "Yes I am!" she smiled.

"Then let's go to Central Perk!"

Smiling, Rachel waltzed out of the doors.

It was her big day. She was meeting her friends for the first time…..again.

**So, how will it go? R&R! **


	5. Chapter 5

Rachel pushed open the door to Central Perk and rushed in, expecting to everyone on the sofa. Instead, she saw….

"Joey!"

Joey Tribbiani looked up in surprise to see a pretty sandy-haired girl waving to him.

He put on a fake smile. "Hi! Are you a fan, or a reporter?"

The girl looked confused. "No, I'm Rachel."

It was Joey's turn to look confused. Then the girl laughed.

"I'm sorry, you don't know me yet! I'm a friend of Monica and Ross's."

"Oh, right!" Joey smiled, and patted the sofa for her to sit down.

"Thanks." Rachel sat down next to him.

"Can I get you something?" Joey asked her. "Like a muffin, or coffee, or- Hey Ross!"

Rachel's head turned to see Ross……and Carol.

Right, she thought, she hasn't come out as a lesbian yet.

Ross came in holding Carol's hand. They were both smiling.

"Hey Joe! Hey, guess what?" Ross beamed.

"It's your birthday? Ah man, I forgot again?" Joey blurted out.

Ross shook his head. "No it's- you forgot my birthday?"

Joey blushed. "No! Where'd you get a stupid idea like that from?"

Ross made a face. "Whatever man. No, me and Carol are engaged!"

Joey grinned. "Really? Hey guys, that's great!"

Carol giggled and held out her hand. On her finger was a beautiful ring.

"Wow!" Joey gasped. "That thing must have cost like a gazillion bucks! What did you do Ross, sell a dinosaur?"

Ross narrowed his eyes. "It was my grandmother's, but thanks."

Rachel cleared her throat. Joey turned, and seemed to remember she was there.

"Oh, right, hey Ross, this is Rachel. She said you two were friends."

Ross looked in her direction. "Oh, yeah, Rachel Green?"

Rachel smiled. "That's me!"

Ross smiled. "Wow, it's been years since we spoke. Monica said you left school after that accident at the college game, what happened?"

Rachel blushed. Admitting she'd been in a coma was just asking for trouble.

"Well, I, uh, I got injured pretty bad. My mother thought it would be best for me to go somewhere…..healthier."

Ross looked confused, but accepted her explanation. "Cool. So, how long have you been in New York?"

Rachel looked at her watch. "About…..five hours."

"You staying somewhere?" Ross asked.

Before Rachel could answer though, Ross's pager beeped.

"Damn. I got to go. See ya Rach. Bye sweetie." Ross said, kissing Carol on the cheek.

Carol waved goodbye as Ross sped away, before turning to Joey and Rachel.

"Well, it's time I left too. Wedding preparations!" she trilled, before rushing out, blonde hair bouncing on her shoulders.

Joey turned to Rachel. "Well, I think we should get to know each other. I'm Joey Tribbiani, I'm an actor on Days of our Lives, and I like food. Your turn!"

Rachel laughed. "OK, I'm Rachel, I'm currently rich but unemployed, and I like shopping. This feels like speed-dating!" she laughed, before realising what she'd said and blushed.

Joey regarded her with interest. "Yeah, yeah it does. Well, like Ross asked earlier, have you got a place to stay?"

"Hotel." Rachel answered, whilst inspecting her manicured nails, pretending that she wasn't still embarassed, though the red patches on her cheeks gave her away.

"That sucks. Hey! Why don't you come and stay with me?" Joey suggested.

"But I thought you shared an apartment with Chandler?" Rachel asked without thinking.

"You know Chandler?" Joey asked with interest.

"Sure, he's an old friend of Ross's." Rachel replied quickly. It was true, she did know Chandler, she met him at Thanksgiving at Ross' place.

"Oh yeah, right. Well, how about it?" Joey asked again.

"Well, isn't it a bit sudden? I mean, you don't really know me. I could be a murderer or something. I'm not though, I'm not!" Rachel stammered, cursing herself for making a fool of herself...again.

Joey laughed. "Well, why don't we get to know each other? You like shopping, right? We'll go downtown! We'll go to the retail stores and then we'll go to dinner."

Rachel smiled. "Yeah, but Joey, won't you mind going round all those stores with me?"

"Are you kidding? Hot sales assistants? I'm there!" Joey grinned.

Rachel laughed. He hadn't changed a bit.

Five hours, two silk shirts, one pair of boots, an outfit change for Rachel into her 'shopping clothes' and a lot of pizza later, Rachel and Joey arrived at Joey's apartment. Her suitcases had already been delivered by Pablo, and were now inside, in the spare room which in the future would be Chandler's.

Rachel looked around. The pizza boxes on the side, the one leather arm-chair, the piles of 'Baywatch' videos, and the badly hidden Playboy magazines...it was all just as she remembered it. And if she remembered everything about Joey as clearly as the Playboy she could see poking out from under the cupboard, Joey was still a fierce womaniser, and Joey being Joey, they would be making love quite soon...

"So, you have fun?" Joey asked Rachel, interrupting her thoughts whilst sipping some red wine.

"Yes, it was amazing. Thank you Mr. Tribbiani, I had a wonderful time." Rachel teased, smiling..

Without warning, as Joey went to give her a glass of white wine, he kissed her. Rachel wasn't particularly surprised, this _was_ Joey.

Suddenly, a thought struck her. Since everything between her and Ross hadn't happened yet, maybe there was a chance for her and Joey, without her feeling guilty. Ross _was_ happy with Carol after all...for now. Maybe she could use this coma thing to her advantage?

Joey smiled at her as he put their glasses on the table.

"Now, Joey, I know this sounds weird, and I really don't want to frighten you away, but promise me that if anything……happens….between us tonight, I'm not just a one night stand." Rachel asked.

Joey dropped to his knees in front of her. "If something happens tonight, I promise, you will not be a one-night thing. And I won't judge you for doing it on the first date either. If it happens, it happens. Rach, you know my friends, you're completely yourself around me, it's like you know exactly what turns me on and you're not even my girlfriend yet. No offence." he added hurriedly, seeing the look on her face.

Rachel moved up on the sofa, patting it so Joey could sit down. "Listen Joey. You know how people say eyes are window to the soul?" she asked. This was her moment.

Joey nodded. "Yeah."

"Well, can I make you a friendly bet?"

"Sure."

"If I can tell you five things about yourself that you haven't told me, just by looking into your eyes, will you kiss me again?"

Joey thought for a moment. "You're on." he agreed, grinning.

"OK." Rachel said. Then she looked into his eyes.

"Thing number one….you love sandwiches."

"Wow!" Joey cried, "I do!"

Rachel grinned…this was going to be easy.

"Thing number two….you have an agent named Estelle."

"Whoa." Joey said. "Freaky."

"Thing number three..…you are part Italian."

Joey touched Rachel's hand. Without expecting it, jolts like electricity ran up Rachel's arm….

"Th-thing number four……you have got a LOT of sisters."

Joey moved a little closer to Rachel. "This is amazing." he said. "It's like you know me. Like really know me."

He inched a little closer, his hand on her arm, eyes still locked on hers.

"Well, I guess I just pay you a lot of attention." Rachel whispered.

She had never got this close with him before, not really, not with this much desire.

Still staring into his eyes, Rachel moved in for a kiss, but Joey put his finger to her lips. "Uh-uh-uh." he said.

Rachel looked hurt.

"You still owe me one more thing you can tell about me just from looking into my eyes, remember?" he explained.

"Well," Rachel swallowed. "You have beautiful eyes."

With that Joey moved forwards and kissed her, one hand holding her head, another wrapped round her waist. Rachel knew now that she'd been right. It was going to happen, hard, fast and passionately.

Pulling her across his lap, still kissing her, Joey lay her head on a cushion, and they began fiddling with each other's shirts, before they were both unbuttoned and tossed to the ground.

Joey went to wrap his hands round her back to undo her bra, which broke open with a satisfying click, the black lace tumbling to the floor. He bent his head, tracing the line between her breasts with his tongue, before sucking gently at her nipples and then rising again to kiss her.

Rachel cupped his face in her hands, prising their mouths apart, breathing heavily, and looked into his eyes.

"There….is….another…thing…I….can….tell…you…" she panted.

Joey's chest heaved up and down. "W-what?" he breathed.

Rachel smiled, and tried to regain at least some of her breath.

"That you….don't wear….underwear……so you…just…unzip your flies when you're….making love…."

Joey gave a barely restrained growl and surged back down, kissing her mouth roughly, their tongues entwining.

Rachel's hands moved expertly to his crotch, unzipping his flies and feeling his huge manhood, stiff as a plank of wood. Joey, meanwhile, lifted up her short black skirt, and tore down her lacy black thong.

Rachel moved her hands up and down his manhood, until Joey could bear it no longer.

He tore himself away from her hands and drove it into her. Rachel gave a little whimper and a thrust, which turned Joey on even more.

One arm wrapped round her tanned waist, one propping him up, as if he was doing push ups.

He dipped up and down as Rachel's moans grew louder, both in rhythm with each other, both in perfect sync.

Joey gave a grunt with each thrust, Rachel's moans growing louder and louder, Joey was dipping harder and faster as she writhed underneath him. He groped her rear, pulling her to him, attempting to bury himself in her as she moaned, her hands gripping his sweaty back, nails piercing his skin.

Rachel wrapped her arms round his neck, pulling herself up to achieve what they both wanted, her breasts cushioning his chin, he kissed and licked her breasts, feeling her nipples harden. He suddenly felt his muscles tighten…..he was going to come….he thrust harder and harder until Rachel's moans turned to screams of ecstasy "Oh God!", rocking against him until the climax came; Joey gave a loud kind of sigh/roar and Rachel's scream of "YES!" echoed across the walls….Joey stopped, withdrew and collapsed on top of her. He should have been exhausted, but he felt so much adrenalin along with the tiredness….his hands wandered over her as she pressed herself to him. Rachel felt wonderful, even though she had done it on the first date, it was done, and neither had ever experienced anything like it before, dream or otherwise.

**I know they rushed into it...but what happens now? R&R!**


End file.
